Phnom Penh City (1372-present)

A Phnom Penh City (1372-present) is a Southeast Asian riverside city located at 11.5564° N and 104.9282° E.

• Context:
  • It can (typically) have a Phnom Penh Population (with languages including Khmer, French, and English).
  • It can (typically) be influenced by the Mekong River System and Tonle Sap River.
  • It can (often) maintain Traditional Khmer Architecture in its temples, palaces, and other historic structures.
  • It can (often) showcase Khmer Buddhist Culture through numerous temples and religious sites.
  • ...
  • It can serve as the capital of Cambodia since its restoration as capital (after 1865).
  • It can feature Modern Urban Development including high-rises, shopping centers, and urban infrastructure (after 1950).
  • It can include Phnom Penh Historic Districts such as French Colonial Quarter, Wat Phnom Area, and Riverside.
  • It can function as a Regional Administrative Hub with government offices, embassies, and international organizations (after 1865).
  • It can experience Urban Environmental Challenges including flooding, waste management, and traffic congestion.
  • It can serve as Cambodia's center for commerce, education, governance, and culture.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Phnom Penh (1372), established around Wat Phnom.
  • Phnom Penh (1434), becoming capital after the fall of Angkor.
  • Phnom Penh (1865), restored as capital under French Protectorate.
  • Phnom Penh (1920s), known as the "Pearl of Asia" during French colonial period.
  • Phnom Penh (1975-1979), evacuated during Khmer Rouge regime.
  • Phnom Penh (1979), repopulation and reconstruction begins.
  • Phnom Penh (1993), restoration of monarchy and democratic governance.
  • Phnom Penh (2010s), period of rapid urban development and modernization.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Saigon, Vietnam's largest city with different colonial heritage.
  • Siem Reap, a Cambodian city known for Angkor Wat.
  • Bangkok, Thailand's capital with larger scale urban development.
  • Vientiane, Laos's capital with smaller population.
  • Battambang, Cambodia's secondary city with different economic role.
• See: Indochina, Kandal Province, Capital City, Royal Palace of Cambodia, Silver Pagoda, Phnom Penh, Koh Pich, Sisowath Quay, National Museum of Cambodia, Wat Phnom.

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References

2022

• (Wikipedia, 2022) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phnom_Penh Retrieved:2022-1-9.
  • Once known as the "Pearl of Asia", it was considered one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina in the 1920s. Phnom Penh, along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, are significant global and domestic tourist destinations for Cambodia. Founded in 1372, the city is noted for its historical architecture and attractions. It became the national capital in 1434 following the fall of Angkor, and remained so until 1497. It regained its capital status during the French colonial era in 1865. There are a number of surviving colonial-era buildings scattered along the grand boulevards. On the banks of the Tonlé Sap, Mekong, and Bassac Rivers, Phnom Penh is home to more than 2 million people, approximately 14% of the Cambodian population. The Phnom Penh metropolitan area includes 5 districts of Kandal province.

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